My Ranking of John Wayne Movies
This is my ranking of the movies that John Wayne was featured in. There's still several movies I haven't seen yet and the list will be updated over time.
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- DirectorHoward HawksStarsJohn WayneDean MartinRicky NelsonA small-town sheriff in the American West enlists the help of a disabled man, a drunk, and a young gunfighter in his efforts to hold in jail the brother of the local bad guy.Great movie, John's character shows a ton of compassion in this movie for his fellow townspeople so the vanilla good guy that he portrays in all his movies actually makes sense in this movie. He's not just out for justice or revenge, his motives are clearly to keep the people he cares about and the town safe. He also felt more human, he gets knocked out in the first 5 minutes of the movie and then shows up a couple of minutes later to arrest the suspect while being dazed and blood streaming down his face was pretty powerful.
There was a lot of great things about this movie but what I found the most interesting is how the movie dealt with Dean Martin's character's alcohol addiction. It's the first movie I've seen from this era that actually addresses any kind of addiction, but the way they handled it was more reminiscent of movies made today. John's character empowers and lifts Dean's character up to give him the strength to fight his addiction. So in that sense this movie has aged very well.
The romantic portion of this movie didn't make any sense to me, but romance in these early movies rarely makes sense to me. A different era for sure. - DirectorJohn FordHenry HathawayGeorge MarshallStarsJames StewartJohn WayneGregory PeckA family saga covering several decades of Westward expansion in the 19th century, including the Gold Rush, the Civil War, and the building of the railroads.John was only in the movie for like 5 minutes. Great movie though.
- DirectorHoward HawksArthur RossonStarsJohn WayneMontgomery CliftJoanne DruDunson leads a cattle drive, the culmination of over 14 years of work, to its destination in Missouri. But his tyrannical behavior along the way causes a mutiny, led by his adopted son.Wow, the first John Wayne movie I've seen where Wayne actually played a different character then vanilla good guy. It was a welcome surprise to actually see some acting chops from John who played a Cattle boss who has a psychotic break driving his herd to Missouri.
- DirectorHoward HawksStarsJohn WayneRobert MitchumJames CaanCole Thornton, a gunfighter for hire, joins forces with old friend, Sheriff J.P. Hara. Together with an old Indian fighter and a gambler, they help a rancher and his family fight a rival rancher who's trying to steal their water.
- DirectorJohn FarrowStarsJohn WayneGeraldine PageWard BondArmy dispatch rider Hondo Lane discovers a woman and young son living in the midst of warring Apaches and becomes their protector.
- DirectorJohn FordStarsJohn WayneClaire TrevorAndy DevineA group of people traveling on a stagecoach find their journey complicated by the threat of Geronimo and learn something about each other in the process.
- DirectorDon SiegelStarsJohn WayneLauren BacallRon HowardA dying gunfighter spends his last days looking for a way to die with a minimum of pain and a maximum of dignity.
- DirectorEdward LudwigStarsJohn WayneSusan HaywardDennis O'KeefeDuring WW2, the U.S. Navy implements a new idea of forming construction battalions that also are fighting units, in case of Japanese attack.
- DirectorKen AnnakinAndrew MartonGerd OswaldStarsJohn WayneRobert RyanRichard BurtonThe events of D-Day, told on a grand scale from both the Allied and German points of view.
- DirectorJohn FordStarsJames StewartJohn WayneVera MilesA senator returns to a Western town for the funeral of an old friend and tells the story of his origins.
- DirectorHenry HathawayStarsJohn WayneKim DarbyGlen CampbellA drunken, hard-nosed U.S. Marshal and a Texas Ranger help a stubborn teenager track down her father's murderer in Indian Territory.
- DirectorMark RydellStarsJohn WayneRoscoe Lee BrowneBruce DernRancher Wil Andersen is forced to hire inexperienced boys as cowhands in order to get his herd to market on time but the rough drive is full of dangers and a gang of cattle rustlers is trailing them.
- DirectorNicholas RayStarsJohn WayneRobert RyanDon TaylorMajor Kirby leads The Wildcats squadron into the historic WWII battle of Guadalcanal.
- DirectorJohn FordStarsJohn WayneWilliam HoldenConstance TowersIn 1863, a Union outfit is sent behind Confederate lines in Mississippi to destroy enemy railroads but a captive southern belle and the unit's doctor cause frictions within ranks.
- DirectorEdward DmytrykStarsJohn WayneAnthony QuinnBeulah BondiIn 1942, after the fall of the Philippines to the Japanese, U.S. Army Col. Joseph Madden stays behind to organize the local resistance against the Japanese invaders.
- DirectorGeorge ShermanJohn WayneStarsJohn WayneRichard BooneMaureen O'HaraIn 1909, when John Fain's gang kidnaps Jacob McCandles' grandson and holds him for ransom, Big Jake sets out to rescue the boy.
- DirectorWilliam C. McGannStarsJohn WayneBinnie BarnesAlbert DekkerDuring the California Gold Rush, Boston pharmacist Tom Craig sets up shop in Sacramento where he clashes with local town crook Britt Dawson.
- DirectorJohn FordStarsJohn WayneJeffrey HunterVera MilesAn American Civil War veteran embarks on a years-long journey to rescue his niece from the Comanches after the rest of his brother's family is massacred in a raid on their Texas farm.
- DirectorHenry HathawayStarsJohn WayneDean MartinMartha HyerRanch owner Katie Elder's four sons determine to avenge the murder of their father and the swindling of their mother.
- DirectorMack V. WrightStarsJohn WaynePhyllis FraserLew KellyThe arrival of the telegraph put Pony Express riders like John Blair and his pal Smoky out of work. A race will decide whether they or Stageline owner Drake get the government mail contract.A decent movie for the time period, I'll admit it's hard to get engaged from movies shot in the 30's due to limitations with the technology they use to shoot the movies. I found this movie to have a decent story and pace. Nothing really special from Wayne, just his normal humble hero he usually plays.
- DirectorMelville ShavelsonStarsKirk DouglasJohn WayneFrank SinatraIn 1947, following the U.N. decision to split British Palestine into separate Jewish and Arab states, a former U.S. Army officer is recruited by the Jews to reorganize the Haganah.John was only in a couple of scenes.
- DirectorJohn FordStarsJohn WayneMaureen O'HaraBarry FitzgeraldA retired American boxer returns to the village of his birth in 1920s Ireland, where he falls for a spirited redhead whose brother is contemptuous of their union.The scenery/set design and supporting actors were fantastic in this movie. I can't think of another movie from this era that had such a beautiful location and the way they transitioned between real and studio locations was very well done.
When John Wayne's character drags Maureen O'hara's character through the streets of town by the wrist/arm/hair it's a little difficult to watch through a 2022 lense, especially since the scene is intended to be funny. - DirectorStuart MillarStarsJohn WayneKatharine HepburnAnthony ZerbeMarshal Rooster Cogburn unwillingly teams up with Eula Goodnight to track down her father's murderers.
- DirectorJohn FordStarsJohn WayneMaureen O'HaraDan DaileyA biography of Navy flier-turned-screenwriter Frank W. "Spig" Wead.
- DirectorJohn WayneStarsJohn WayneRichard WidmarkLaurence HarveyIn 1836, a small band of soldiers sacrifice their lives in hopeless combat against a massive army in order to prevent a tyrant from smashing the new Republic of Texas.Campy, cheesy, and inaccurate but somewhat entertaining.
- DirectorAndrew V. McLaglenStarsJohn WayneGeorge KennedyGary GrimesA tough Marshal has a difficult task when his two sons join a gang and rob a bank.
- DirectorRobert N. BradburyStarsJohn WayneBarbara SheldonGeorge 'Gabby' HayesJerry Mason, a young Texan, and Jake Benson, an old rancher, become partners and strike it rich with a gold mine. They then find their lives complicated by bad guys and a woman.
- DirectorRobert N. BradburyStarsJohn WayneLucile BrowneGeorge 'Gabby' HayesJohn Martin is a government agent working under cover. Leading citizen Morgan calls in gunman Galt who blows Martin's cover.
- DirectorAllan DwanStarsJohn WayneJohn AgarAdele MaraHaunted by personal demons, Marine Sgt. John Stryker is hated and feared by his men, who see him as a cold-hearted sadist. But when their boots hit the beaches, they begin to understand the reason for Stryker's rigid form of discipline.
- DirectorJohn FordStarsJohn WayneJoanne DruJohn AgarCaptain Nathan Brittles, on the eve of retirement, takes out a last patrol to stop an impending massive Indian attack. Encumbered by women who must be evacuated, Brittles finds his mission imperiled.
- DirectorAndrew V. McLaglenStarsJohn WayneMaureen O'HaraPatrick WayneWealthy rancher G. W. McLintock uses his power and influence in the territory to keep the peace between farmers, ranchers, land-grabbers, Indians and corrupt government officials.
- DirectorRobert N. BradburyStarsJohn WayneEleanor HuntGeorge 'Gabby' HayesU.S. marshal John Carruthers observes a robbery and Sheriff Jake thinks he may be the culprit. Meanwhile the town's leading citizen is planning to rob everybody blind.
- DirectorJoseph KaneStarsJohn WayneMuriel EvansCy KendallIn Cottonwood, Texas, claim-jumper Alexander Stiles killed John Clayborn's parents when they refused to sell their ranch to him. Ten years later, John, now a lawyer, returns under the name of John Clay to exact vengeance.
- DirectorOtto PremingerStarsJohn WayneKirk DouglasPatricia NealA Naval officer, reprimanded after Pearl Harbor, is later promoted to Rear Admiral and gets a second chance to prove himself against the Japanese.
- DirectorRobert N. BradburyStarsJohn WayneLucile BrowneLeRoy MasonSheriff John Higgins quits and goes into prospecting after he thinks he has killed his best friend Dan in shooting it out with robbers. He encounters Dan's daughter who takes over her father's ranch. Then she finds out about his past.I liked this one, good plot and an actual somewhat gritty performance from John Wayne. John really does something different with the character in this one. Normally in his movies in this time period he just plays the same character with a different name.
Although watching these 1930's John Wayne westerns are starting to feel like a real chore. The long drawn out horse chase scenes are starting to get to me. I'll try to power through a couple of more. - DirectorHarry L. FraserStarsJohn WayneSheila TerryShirley Jean RickertA cowboy escorts a little girl, whose mother made her the heir of a cash-able oil company, and must protect her from an outlaw as they search for the girl's father.This movie actually has a decent plot compared to other John Wayne movies from this time period and was intrigued and excited to watch this early on. My interest started to wane as the movie went on. It's just really hard to get into these old movies they just seem rather messy and disorganized. I'm not sure if it's just a product of movies of the time or if these early John Wayne movies are just not good. I think I need to watch some other movies from the early 30's to get some prospective.
Also it was ridiculous when they attempt to portray a Native by just slapping a wig and some beads on a little white girl and calling it good. - DirectorPhil WhitmanStarsEvalyn KnappJohn WayneReginald BarlowDick Wallace secretly marries a minister's grand-daughter but his father, who thinks she is a gold digger, is opposed. She takes a job with the company under her maiden name to prove she's okay.The first movie I've seen of John Wayne where he's not a gunslinger or military man. I haven't seen a lot of movies from the 30's but from my limited experience this movie seems a head of it's time and the story would actually fit in a modern movie. Decent Rom-Com and would rate it higher but the movie is in desperate need of update/modern editing.
- DirectorCharles BartonStarsJohn WayneMarsha HuntJohnny Mack BrownCan Dare Rudd prove he is responsible enough to win the heart of Judy and also outwit the crooked saloon owner?
- DirectorJohn FordStarsJohn WayneMaureen O'HaraBen JohnsonA cavalry officer posted on the Rio Grande is confronted with murderous raiding Apaches, a son who's a risk-taking recruit and his wife from whom he has been separated for many years.
- DirectorArmand SchaeferStarsJohn WayneNancy ShubertLane ChandlerA man framed for murder escapes prison and goes west, where he joins a gang with the real killer involved.
- DirectorRobert N. BradburyStarsJohn WayneMarion BurnsDennis MooreJust as John travels to visit his father, he witnesses his death and suffers a gun wound - a beautiful woman is kind enough to help him bring the killers to justice, but jealousy from another man may cause problems.
- DirectorGeorge StevensJean NegulescoStarsMax von SydowDorothy McGuireCharlton HestonAn all-star, large scale epic movie that chronicles the life and ministry of Jesus Christ.This one was a hard one to rank so low because it was obviously a beautifully shot movie, but the biblical dialogue was too much for me to slog through and I couldn't make it through the movie.
- DirectorRay KelloggJohn WayneMervyn LeRoyStarsJohn WayneDavid JanssenJim HuttonCol. Mike Kirby picks two teams of crack Green Berets for a mission in South Vietnam. First off is to build and control a camp that is trying to be taken by the enemy the second mission is to kidnap a North Vietnamese General.The pro-Vietnam propaganda is thick in this film. Even if that wasn't the case I still don't think I would rate this movie very high. Dialog was way too cheesy and overdramatic, and the combat scenes weren't realistic.
- DirectorJohn FordStarsJohn WayneLee MarvinElizabeth AllenIn an ideal society on a picturesque South Seas isle, diverse people live in harmony until an outsider disrupts the balance.
- DirectorDouglas HickoxStarsJohn WayneRichard AttenboroughJudy GeesonChicago Police Lieutenant Jim Brannigan is sent to the U.K. to escort organized crime boss Ben Larkin back to the U.S., but Larkin's hitmen prepare an ambush for Brannigan.Cop that plays by his own rules, loud and obnoxious American visiting England. These tropes have been done to death.
- DirectorJohn FordRobert MontgomeryStarsRobert MontgomeryJohn WayneDonna ReedA Navy commander fights to prove the battle-worthiness of the PT boat at the start of World War II.
- DirectorHoward HawksStarsJohn WayneJorge RiveroJennifer O'NeillAfter the Civil War, Cord McNally searches for the two traitors whose treachery caused the defeat of McNally's unit and the loss of a close friend.
- DirectorDavid MillerStarsJohn WayneJohn CarrollAnna LeeCapt. Jim Gordon's command of the famed American volunteer fighter group in China is complicated by the recruitment of an old friend who is a reckless hotshot.
- DirectorJohn FordStarsJohn WaynePedro ArmendárizHarry Carey Jr.Three outlaws on the run risk their freedom and their lives to return a newborn to civilization.
- DirectorJohn FordStarsJohn WayneThomas MitchellIan HunterA merchant ship's crew tries to survive the loneliness of the sea and the coming of war.John was a supporting actor in this movie. The movie itself was boring and didn't go anywhere. Turned it off halfway through the movie.
- DirectorRay EnrightStarsMarlene DietrichRandolph ScottJohn WayneIn Nome, Alaska, miner Roy Glennister and his partner Dextry, financed by saloon entertainer Cherry Malotte, fight to save their gold claim from crooked commissioner Alexander McNamara.
- DirectorJames Edward GrantStarsJohn WayneGail RussellHarry CareyQuirt Evans, an all round bad guy, is nursed back to health and sought after by Penelope Worth, a Quaker girl. He eventually finds himself having to choose between his world and the world Penelope lives in.Very boring and the color editing was awful which completely distracted from the movie.
- DirectorRobert N. BradburyStarsJohn WayneVerna HillieGeorge 'Gabby' HayesA gang working for The Shadow is terrorizing the town. John Travers decides to take on the job of sheriff and do something about it.
- DirectorRobert N. BradburyStarsJohn WayneCecilia ParkerForrest TaylorLoner rider Singin' Sandy Saunders rides into town to discover local ranchers are being victimized by a land-grabbing villain who controls the water supply and wants their land.
- DirectorRobert N. BradburyStarsJohn WaynePolly Ann YoungAnita CampilloIn a horse-riding rodeo contest bad guys want John Weston to lose. When he doesn't go along they add some insurance: a poisoned needle just under his saddle.
- DirectorHarry L. FraserStarsJohn WayneAlberta VaughnGeorge 'Gabby' HayesJailed for murders he didn't commit, Randy escapes only to stumble into the den of the real murderers.
- DirectorRobert N. BradburyStarsJohn WayneNoah BeeryVerna HillieRod Drew hunts for a missing girl and finds himself in a fight over a goldmine as well.
- DirectorRobert N. BradburyStarsJohn WayneVirginia Brown FaireGeorge 'Gabby' HayesTed Hayden impersonates a wanted man and joins Gentry's gang only to learn later that Gentry was the one who killed his father. He saves Virginia Winters' dad's ranch from Gentry and also rescues his long-lost brother Spud.
- DirectorGeorge WaggnerStarsJohn WayneVera RalstonPhilip DornIn 1818 Alabama, French settlers are pitted against greedy land-grabber Blake Randolph but Kentucky militiaman John Breen, who's smitten with French gal Fleurette De Marchand, comes to the settlers' aid.I'm not entirely sure if I understood the premise of this movie, either way it was boring and uninteresting.
- DirectorColbert ClarkArmand SchaeferStarsJohn WayneRuth HallRobert FrazerEdited version of the 1933 Mascot serial "The Three Musketeers," first released in 1946.
- DirectorCarl PiersonStarsJohn WayneMarion BurnsReed HowesAn undercover agent for the government is sent to round up a gang of counterfeiters operating near the Mexican border.
- DirectorLewis D. CollinsStarsJohn WayneMary KornmanPaul FixRodeo star John Scott and his gambler friend Kansas Charlie are wrongly accused of armed robbery. They leave town as fast as they can to go looking for their own suspects in Poker City.